In February 2008, Steven Thorpe from Kenilworth, Warwickshire was involved in a crash with two other cars and a horse that was running lose on the highway. One man died, as did the horse, the BBC reported.

Mr Thorpe was taken to University Hospital in Coventry where he says doctors put him into an induced coma, and performed a craniotomy to help alleviate any swelling on his brain.

The 21-year-old said medical staff gave up hope of any recovery after two days, but his parents refused to believe they had lost him.

In a statement, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust said: “It is extremely rare that a patient with having suffered such extensive trauma to the brain should survive. … He is truly a unique case.”

Thorpe tells The Sun that doctors wanted to give him three days on life support and then turn it off:

“The words they used to my parents were, ‘You need to start thinking about organ donations.’

“I think that’s what gave my dad energy, he thought ‘No way’.

“If my parents hadn’t asked for the second opinion, and if Julia hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t be here today.”